Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Gabriel Landeskog played for Djurgardens IF in Sweden's Junior-20 league. He played in 31 games for that club, scoring 7 goals and adding 14 assists for 21 points. In 6 playoff games for that team, Landeskog scored 1 goal. Landeskog also played in 3 games for Djurgardens in the Swedish Elite League, picking up 1 assist in those games. He represented Sweden at the 2009 Under-18 World Junior Championship, potting 4 goals in 6 games and tacking on 24 penalty minutes. Landeskog was chosen third overall in the 2009 CHL Import Draft by the OHL's Plymouth Whalers, who then traded his rights to the Kitchener Rangers.

2009-10: Landeskog began his OHL career with the Kitchener Rangers. He played in 61 games for that club, scoring 24 goals and chipping in 22 assists for 46 points. In 20 playoff games for the Rangers, Landeskog scored 8 goals and added 15 assists for 23 points in his team's unsuccessful bid to unseat the Windsor Spitfires as OHL champions.

2010-11: In his second season with the Rangers, Landeskog played in 53 games, scoring 36 goals and adding 30 assists for 66 points. In 7 playoff games, he scored 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points. Landeskog played for Sweden at the 2011 World Junior Championship but appeared in just one game due to an injury that knocked him out of the rest of the tournament, as well as causing him to miss the 2011 CHL Home Hardware Top Prospects Game. He scored 1 goal and added 1 assists in that one WJC game.

Talent Analysis

The swift-skating Swede has a quick release, plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder and is not afraid to drive the net. A natural leader, Landeskog is a good offensive player but his skills might not be elite enough to produce big numbers at the NHL level.

Future

Landeskog was the 2012 NHL Rookie of the Year and has graduated from prospect status.

Photo: Second overall pick Gabriel Landeskog won the Calder Trophy in 2012, an Olympic silver medal, and a World Championship gold medal, but awaits the support for NHL playoff success (courtesy of Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

Obviously, the 2010-11 NHL season was from the Colorado Avalanche perspective a forgettable one. The team finished a mere six points ahead of the cellar-dwelling Edmonton Oilers. Matt Duchene was the team’s leading scorer in just his second season in the league, but the goaltending trio of Craig Anderson, Peter Budaj and Brian Elliott all posted save percentages under .900. Legendary Avs Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote each played their last games in the NHL that season as well, signalling the closing of an era of dominance. Read more»

While Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have watched the playoffs on high-definition telecasts, one Calder Trophy finalist has lived them firsthand, helping push his team all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

Last summer’s second overall pick at the NHL Draft, Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, jumped straight into the NHL as many thought he might. Landeskog has traveled far in one year's time, as he now stands as a finalist for the Calder Trophy given to the NHL's Rookie of the Year.

Photo: Power forward Gabriel Landeskog was selected by Hockey's Future's staff to be the 2012 Calder Winner, an award given to the top rookie in the NHL. (Photo courtesy of Russell Lansford/Icon SMI)

Hockey's Future polled their staff to find out who their choice was for the 2012 Calder Trophy. It was a tight race between Colorado forward Gabriel Landeskog and Edmonton center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, with Landeskog eventually taking the honor.

Photo: Colorado Avalanche rookie forward Gabriel Landeskog had a lot to celebrate during the 2011-12 season, and he may be celebrating a Calder Trophy win come June (courtesy of

Ric Tapia/Icon SMI)

While this season’s rookie class may not quite rival that of last year’s youngsters, there have been several impact rookies. Here is a look at three Calder Trophy favorites and their achievements this season.*